1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for molding chocolate, and particularly to a process for making a molded product of chocolate provided with an ornamental relief pattern carried on a main body of chocolate and having a color different from that of the main body.
2. Prior Art
According to one prior art technique, an ornamental pattern is transferred onto the surface of a molded body of chocolate from a decalcomania sheet. In this known transfer process, the pattern is printed on a sheet using an ink containing an edible pigment and an edible oil to form a decalcomania, which is placed on a body of chocolate and transferred onto the surface of the body under heating. However, the transferred pattern is blurred and not clear to impair the commercial value of the product. A more serious disadvantage of this known process is that a relief pattern including concave and convex portions cannot be formed thereby.
An extrusion method has been developed and known in the art for forming a relief pattern. In this known extrusion method, a material for forming the ornamental relief pattern is extruded from a nozzle of an extruder, and the nozzle or a body of chocolate to be formed thereon with the ornamental relief pattern is moved along a route according to the designed pattern. Since the pattern is formed by a pasty material discharged from the nozzle, which is moving relative to the body of chocolate on which the pattern is to be formed, fineness or sharpness of the formed pattern is limited and a delicate design, letter or picture including slender lines cannot be formed. Also, it is not feasible to form a relief pattern of complicated shape by the extrusion method, since a considerable time is consumed and an extremely delicate control is required.
In order to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the conventional processes, an improved process has been proposed by Japanese Patent Publication No. 28809/1971. In this preceding process, three splittable molds are used and a molded product of chocolate having an ornamental relief pattern is molded by two molding stages. The first mold is an engraved block bearing an engraved pattern of desired design. The second mold is a generally flat plate having through-holes. The pattern formed by the through-holes of the second mold is substantially coincident with the engraved pattern of the first mold. At the first molding stage, the first and second molds are combined such that the pattern formed by the through-holes of the second mold is in registry with the engraved pattern of the first mold, and then a fluidized decoration chocolate material is casted. After cooling, the second mold is removed from the first mold, leaving the solidified decoration chocolate material on the first mold. The portions casted in the through-holes of the second mold form projecting extensions after removal of the second mold. In preparation of the second molding stage, the third mold is placed on the first mold. The cavity defined by the first and third molds has a depth greater than the height of the said projecting portions and has a contour defining the outer shape of the molded chocolate product. As a fluidized chocolate material for forming the main body portion is casted in the cavity formed by the first and third molds followed by cooling, said projecting portions made of the decoration chocolate material are embedded into the solidified body portion.
The last mentioned prior art process is in fact improved in that a clear relief pattern can be formed and in that the formed pattern is firmly held by the substrate or body chocolate. However, this process involves troublesome operations, particularly for combining the second mold with the first mold and for removing the second mold from the first mold. The through-holes of the secod mold shall be exactly adjoined to the engraved pattern of the first mold, and an extreme care shall be paid at the step of removing the second mold from the first mold so as not to break or impair the projecting portions made of a fragile material. Due to the difficulties involved in combination and removal of the first and second molds, a delicate pattern including slender lines cannot be formed by this prior art process.
By any of the known technique including the aforementioned prior art processes, a relief pattern including a slender line or portion of in the order of 200 microns and having a thickness of about 100 microns to 3 mm could not be formed on and firmly adhered to a body of chocolate.